Among the many changes that awaited students upon their return to campus this semester, one may not have noticed the quiet shutdown of the recycling program. 

Previously, the campus was home to many recycling bins, allowing students to take a green approach with ease. This semester, all of those recycling bins have disappeared. 

“I feel like [the recycling program] does so much good for the campus” Jared Saltaformaggio, a Senior said. Saltaformaggio also noted how the lack of recycling has affected the trash pileup: “the dumpster outside [New Hall] is so full of trash that there are trash bags laying on the curb next to it. It’s usually not like that but I went to take the trash out earlier and happened to notice it.” 

When responding to a question about the program at a press conference, Spring Hill President Joe Lee said, “I can honestly tell you I was kind of disappointed at the efforts here by the college.” Several concerns have arisen regarding the possibility of contamination due to misuse of the recycling bins. 

Recycling on campus has had a relatively rocky history over the years. Last year, Goodwill, who sponsored the recycling program, said that they would discontinue recycling on campus if the recycling bins continued to be contaminated. “The cost of separating glass became too much”, said Dr. Lesli Bordas. When asked about the program, Bordas mentioned that recycling bins would regularly come in with rats and other animals due to the contamination.

Tara Summers, senior, also believes that it is the students who are to blame for the decline of recycling on campus. “We need to show accountability for our mistakes in order for SHC to be better in the future. Hopefully, current and future students can step up, take action, and bring the recycling program back to the Hill”, said Summers. 

President Joe Lee expresses optimism in the future of the program saying that he plans to bring it up to the board. He expressed that he “certainly hopes” that the recycling program will return. 

In the meantime, students can visit Langdon Park which offers recycling services. Dr. Leslie Bordas encourages students to go even further by limiting their consumption of disposable goods to begin with. She noted that “right now, disposable goods are defeating the purpose of recycling: to use less resources.”